Management of newborns at increased risk for early-onset sepsis in perinatology department.

INTRODUCTION: Assessing newborn infants at risk for early-onset sepsis (EOS) is a common clinical task conducted by pediatricians. A change in the internal protocol for managing neonates at risk was implemented in 2016. Unlike the previous protocol, which determined laboratory testing in asymptomatic newborns in the presence of one risk factor (RF) for sepsis; the new protocol advocates the screening in the presence of at least two RF. The purpose of this study was to characterize newborns at increased risk for EOS before and after the implementation of a diagnostic/treatment protocol. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of asymptomatic newborns with RF to EOS who had laboratory testing performed at perinatology department in a central hospital in north of Portugal before and after the protocol was reviewed (2016), in the years 2015 and 2017, respectively. Patients were divided in two groups: preprotocol (2015) and postprotocol (2017), according to the date of admission. RESULTS: A total of 361 newborns were enrolled, 296 (82%) pre-protocol and 65 (18%) post-protocol. There was a significant raise in the number of preterm newborns (9.5 versus 30.8%, pre- and post-protocol, respectively; p < .001), with similar other sociodemographic characteristics. There were 36 positive laboratory screenings at 12 h of life and 8.6% were transferred to the neonatology department, without differences between the groups (p = .250 and p = .488). All presented a favorable outcome, without differences in the number of readmissions in the first month of life (p = .204). DISCUSSION: The modification of the approach protocol has led to a significant decline in the laboratory testing performed, minimizing newborn pain, unnecessary antibiotic exposure and costs, without increased risk of readmission for sepsis.

Antituberculosis Drug-Induced Liver Injury with Autoimmune Features: Facing Diagnostic and Treatment Challenges.

The authors present a case report of antituberculosis drug-induced liver injury that offered diagnostic challenges (namely, the possibility of drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis) and treatment difficulties.

Meningoradiculopathy Associated with Human Herpesvirus 7-A Virus with Potential to Cause Severe Neurologic Disease with Sequelae.

We present a case report of a meningoradiculopathy associated with human herpesvirus 7, with long-term motor neurologic sequelae. It is important to consider human herpesvirus 7 as a potential pathogen of severe neurologic disease and sequelae in immunocompetent children, especially in older patients presenting neurologic signs.

Acute mononeuropathy in a child with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: Neuropathy is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), increasing with the duration of the disease, poor glycemic control and advanced age. Acute presentation of a neuropathy in the setting of a newly diagnosed type 1 DM is rare and holds a diagnostic challenge. CASE REPORT: A 10-year-old girl, presented at the emergency service with complaints of polydipsia, polyuria, asthenia and weight lost over the last 15 days, accompanied by difficulties in flexing the right foot, during the previous week. The patient denied any pain, paresthesias, or altered sensibility. There was no fever documented, or recent infectious intercurrence or trauma. On physical examination, she was conscious, collaborative and space and time-orientated, had a diminished strength in the right foot, namely in the dorsiflexion, conditioning a steppage gait ipsilateral. Hyperalgesia was felt in the dorsum of the right feet to the ankle. DM type 1 was diagnosed based on serum glucose of 629 mg/dL and mild ketoacidosis. Investigation for infectious, immune and nutritional aetiologies for the mononeuropathy was negative. Electrophysiological study was suggestive of a lesion of the peroneal nerve on the popliteal cesspit, but was not conclusive. The patient started physiotherapy during her hospital stay and exhibited a slight improvement in the dorsiflexion of the foot. Four months later she was asymptomatic and with good glycaemic control. CONCLUSION: Diabetic neuropathy is a heterogeneous group that still lacks adequate comprehension. Its approach is empirical and demands exclusion of other etiologies. A definitive diagnosis is not always possible and sometimes is retrospective.